Lone Wolf No More
by SmilingZebra
Summary: Tony's always been a lone wolf but now he's surrounded by people who are slowly starting to become his family. Please review and tell me what you think.
1. Chapter 1

The time on the screen read 4:17am. Tony's eyes lifted to glare at the mocking little digits. _Damn you screen, _Tony thought deliriously. After a further 3 minutes of accusing the screen of crimes, ranging from witchcraft to global warming, Tony attempted to sit back in his chair. The movement should have been easier. Various pops and clicks rang out through the room as the genius sunk into his worn out desk chair. A deep sigh escaped the billionaire as he practically morphed into the cushioned back of the should be uncomfortable chair. Blood shot eyes scanned the surrounding of the lab and with effort locked target on heaven. _Coffee._ The caffeine angel was seated on a table in the left hand corner of the expensive lab. Tony's sleep deprived mind couldn't keep up with the discovery. A pink tongue darted out between red sore lips to point in the direction of the miracle.

_That's not fair. How come that dumbass zebra gets to drink coffee when he's just ran off with JARVIS' wife! _Tony's eyes were glued to the mug of coffee in a way that was almost feral. Teeth gritted and eyes dared to close as Tony continued to accuse objects around the room of _stealing Thor's favourite cape and shaving Bruce's hair off. _Suddenly a crisp voice of reason sounded from the ceiling.

"Sir, I must advise you should take a break."

Tony's head angled back more to smile at the ceiling.

"Jaaaaarvis.' A croaky voice sung. "How's it going buttercup?" Tony's head lolled to the side as he targeted a menacing glare at the screw driver.

"Sir, you have been awake for 72 hours. I advise you should go to bed and then continue working in the lab when it is suitable."

Tony could have sworn he heard a voice telling him to _wake his 72 beds from rehab when it is sunny_ but his thoughts were drawn to a group of 5 people who were currently sleeping in the floors above. _The Avengers._ His face automatically turned unreadable. _Bruce._ The fellow scientist really was great company to have around. _He's quiet and does steal my god damn blueberries but he really is someone special. _A hysterical giggle escaped Tony as he pictured Bruce with a blueberry head and then all went quiet as he returned to his thoughts.

_Natasha and Clint. _The assassins started out as a mystery to Tony. They moved into the tower later than everyone else but with time dropped their barriers. _Clint's a good drinking partner, obviously not as good as me but no one's as good as the master and Natasha promised not to kill me so I can deal. _Tony's gaze dropped to his left hand that was currently placed on the armrest. Various scribbles and formulas coloured the tan skin with a little side note that read 'POPTARTS'.

The genius' stomach produced a deafening grumble but was easily ignored as another person popped into Tony's head. _Thor. _The day that the God discovered poptarts will be forever marked down in history as one of the weirdest. Tony's posture sagged while a grin crossed his tired face. _One of these day I'm gonna trick Thor into dying his hair blue. _Another hysterical giggle burst from Tony's mouth. Once the girlish giggle ran its course, two chocolate brown eyes began to slide down.

"Sir, I believe it would be unwise for you to sleep in the lab, again. I'm sure as you can remember previous occasions of this happening were not appreciated." A crisp British tone echoed throughout the lab startling the sleepy Stark.

Tony's eyes remained closed as he cheerily sung, "Mute." The A.I wasn't his mother. The billionaire's thoughts turned to the final remaining boy band member. _Steve. _Tony didn't exactly have the best start with Steve. _Wasn't my fault he was a boring capsicle. _Tony's eyes peeled open once more. _"Big man in a suit of armour. Take that off, what are you?" _The two get on better nowadays but the question stills remains engraved in his head. _Genius, Billionaire, Playboy, Philanthropist. _A sad smile crossed Tony's mouth and with that final thought his eyes slid shut.


	2. Chapter 2

**Ping.** _Ow._

**Ping. Flick.** _Ow._

**Ping. Flick. Giggle.** _Fucking Ow._

Tony's eyes remained glued as his brain registered something wasn't quite right with the situation at hand. Brows knitted, the billionaire curled in on himself the best he could and with a sigh settled back down to sleep.

**Grip. Pull. Release, Fire. **

_Fuckity Fucking Ow._

**Evil Giggle.**

Two brown eyes flickered open and caught target on the enemy. The resident archer was perched on a nearby table, slingshot in hand and a smug grin plastered to his face.

"Morning beautiful!"

Tony automatically groaned and leaned forward, the action causing various objects to fall to the ground. Screws, paper spitballs, pencil sharpeners lay sprawled over Tony's limp body. Anything that could be used as ammo for a slingshot was currently seated with the billionaire. Anger swam through the sleepy man and with one last glance at the archer's newest art project; Tony's eyes flew forward to glare at the man himself.

'You better fly Birdbrain!" Tony roared. Clint's eyes lit up and he leaped from the lab table in record timing, sprinting out of the lab and up the stairs. Tony carefully lifted his half asleep limbs from the cushioned chair and attempted to run after the assassin. With much effort and several breaks the genius had managed to reach the bottom of the stairs. Eying the stairs the genius made a decision then and there; the stairs were not going to be kind to his sleepy legs. But luckily this is what overly good-natured demigods were for.

"Oh god of Thunder! Oh mighty Thor, I require your assistance!" Tony chanted childishly, back sliding down the nearest wall. Heavy footsteps rang out from above and Tony allowed a smirk to grace his tired face. Suddenly a figure appeared at the top of the stairs peering down at the billionaire.

"Brother Anthony, what is wrong? Has Lady Natasha hidden your ale again?" The God was currently in sweat pants and a plain white T-shirt. He would have appeared normal at first glance but with further inspection, his furry pink thermal socks betrayed the illusion. Thor had a look of concern on his face as he stared down at the sitting Avenger. "I shall help you retrieve your treasured.."

"My alcohol is safe Thor, don't you worry about that." The genius glanced to the cabinet in the corner of his lab.

"Then what appears to be the problem, brother?" The demigod looked confused now as he inched down the stairs.

"Ok, long story short. I was working on..on.. something fabulous in the lab, fell asleep. Actually that happens way too often, maybe I should invent some sort of glue for eyes but then again..ok. Katniss has declared war and the stairs are being evil and..and stairy. And my legs are asleep and.. just give me a piggyback so I can whip Clint's ass." Tony finished his ramble and targeted the cutest set of puppy dog eyes he could muster at the blonde man.

After a second of realisation a deep chuckle escaped the God. Thor walked down the remaining steps and grabbed Tony's arm, lifting him from the ground in one swift movement. "I would be honoured my friend." A grin painted his face as he crouched in front of Tony. The billionaire smiled fondly and mustered up the energy to jump on the God's broad back. One step at a time, the demigod carried Tony up the remaining steps and deposited him at the top. "There you go, brother." Thor smiled greatly and clapped Tony on the back with a force that would have made him fall over if it weren't for the God's other hand on his shoulder. The demigod turned his back and walked over to the communal kitchen, where most of the boy band members were already settled in various positions.

"Tony, you can't just make Thor carry you places. You're a grown man, you should.." _Blah Blah Blah. _Tony tuned out Steve's lecture easily and searched the room. Natasha was sitting on the counter reading a magazine, she hadn't even moved. Tony noticed he was staring after the red head arched an eyebrow and glared at him. _Ok, not Clint. _The billionaire's eyes scanned round and soon spotted Bruce explaining something to Thor, _most likely something to do with not touching hot objects. _Tony groaned internally. _Not Clint. _"..you look tired. Have you even eaten? God Tony.." The genius' eyes latched onto Steve. The man was currently looking at him with a concerned look in his eyes. Tony sighed and twisted his head to the left. He closed his eyes and yawned dramatically.

"You look so cute when you're sleeping, sparkie." Tony's eyes shot open and landed on the fridge, where the archer was perched. "You also drool." Clint was grinning now. His brown hair was mussed and he was currently sporting pyjama pants and a blue T-shirt.

"You better run Birdy!" Tony growled and Clint giggled. The archer jumped from the fridge and sprinted to the sofa. However, as Tony was in good distance from him, he latched onto the assassin's back and effectively tackled him to the ground. With an almighty yelp, Clint switched their positions and began jabbing Tony in the side. The genius screamed and started kicking and flailing. Clint laughed and shouted of his victory as the other Avengers watched the two fight.

"Children, please. Violence is not the answer." Bruce reasoned with a smile threatening to appear. Clint looked up at the scientist and stood up proudly. He skipped over to the counter where Natasha was currently reading and leaned against it. "Yes, mother." The archer smiled cheerily at Bruce and turned his attention to the man lying on the carpet, shooting a wink in his direction.

Tony let out a groan and turned so that he was currently settled on his stomach with his face in the plush carpet. "I hate you all!" he cried sleepily. Bruce and Thor laughed, Natasha simply smirked, Clint blew kissy faces and Steve shook his head fondly.

The billionaire was dozing off when he felt a presence to his left. He twisted his head and looked up to see Steve smiling down at him with a mug of coffee held out in front of him. "I think you need this." The super soldier chuckled and placed the mug on the soft carpet carefully. He hesitated as if he were going to say something but then turned away and walked back to the kitchen. Tony watched him go. The genius smiled fondly at the coffee and sighed pleasantly. _How peculiar._


	3. Chapter 3

"Ba De Ya, say do you remember, Ba De Ya, dancing in September, Ba De Ya, never was a cloudy day.." Music rang through the communal living space as two intoxicated voices attempted to sing along. Rhodey's voice was a slow drawl of drunken amusement while Tony's was loud and dramatic. The two friends were slumped against one another on the living room floor, smiles gracing their faces and the smell of alcohol cemented on their skin. It was currently 3:12am.

Natasha and Clint were currently standing in the doorway looking exasperated. "I say we drug them." Clint whispered in Natasha's ear. She stared intently at the two drunken men and shook her head, "I doubt even that would shut them up." Clint groaned and rubbed his face. "Christ."

"We didn't start the fire, it was always burning, since the world's been turning.." Tony roared the chorus. "Rhodey, Rhode, James, Buttercup..I love this fucking song!" Rhodey looked at him for a moment. He closed his eyes and his head began to sway to the rhythm. "Good ol' Billy Joel!" The two men laughed hysterically and then Tony froze. "Shit, we forgot Barbra!" Tony looked round the room frantically and tried to stand up. "Fuck! We've gotta get her..who's Barbra?" Rhodey held Tony's shoulders and shook him slightly. Tony slumped further down onto the floor. Suddenly his head twisted so he could look into his best friend's eyes. "I don't even know!" The two stared at each incredulously and then burst into hysterical giggles.

Clint, Natasha and now Steve stared on. Clint sighed, "We've got to do something." Steve glanced at his drunken team mate. Tony was currently staring at his thumb in admiration while Rhodey petted the billionaire's hair affectionately. Steve could only shake his head. Footsteps sounded behind the three heroes. Bruce appeared next to Steve looking as rumpled as the rest of them. The scientist closed his eyes and pinched his nose, "I love him, but even I can't get away with his rendition of Billy Joel at 4 in the morning."

"I'm on the highway to hell, highway to hell, I'm on the highway.."

"I'm getting my gun." Natasha turned to walk back to her room. "No!" Steve shouted in unison with Clint's "Yes!" Steve stared back at the billionaire, "I'll fix this, just keep all weapons put away please." Natasha looked unconvinced but nodded slightly and gestured to the babbling idiot. "You've got five minutes." She swiftly turned away and stalked back to her room. Clint crossed his arms and pouted dramatically, "That could have been fun, you know." The captain frowned at the man then turned towards the scientist. "Help me." Bruce rolled his shoulders and nodded.

"Tony, Tony, Tone, Anthony!" The billionaire started and turned his head to look at the other man. Rhodey smiled and flicked his forehead, "I love you, you know. Sure you irate the hell out me pretty much all the time. And there was that time you were sick on my Mom and then flirted with her afterwards, but we were just kids, so I forgive you for that." Tony nodded and laid his head on the older man's shoulder. "Oh and did I mention you're a dumbass." Rhodey added. Tony gasped dramatically. "That's hurt me platypus, I'm hurt and I'm hurt all over and.. BRUCIE, STEVIE!"

"Hey Tony." The two standing men smiled a bit too cheery. "How's it going?" Steve's voice dripped of fake glee. Tony automatically sat up straighter and made grabby hands. "Magical!" The billionaire sung the word excitedly. He looked over to Rhodey who was yawning loudly. Bruce crouched in front of the childish genius, "It's really early Tone. You not tired?" Tony suddenly looked at Bruce like he was really seeing him for the first time. "A little, but that's probably because Billy Joel won't let me sleep." He said innocently, puppy dog eyes on full blast. Bruce stared at his friend with a blank expression then patted him on the shoulder and stood up. He leaned over to Steve, "You think you can carry him to bed, while I deal with Rhodey?" The two men stared at the billionaire's close friend who was currently drooling on the sofa's cushion. Steve nodded and took Bruce's previous position of crouching in front of Tony. "Hey Tony!" He smiled softly, "What's that over there?" The super soldier pointed over Tony's shoulder and two brown eyes followed the movement. Tony now distracted, Steve easily lifted the brunette's arm over his shoulder and placed his own arm under Tony's legs, picking him up effortlessly. "WHAT THE HELL-" Tony obviously didn't appreciate the 'fireman's carry'. Tony now captured, Steve nodded to Bruce once, "Night Bruce."

Stalking out of the room, Steve bumped into a smirking Clint. The archer ruffled Tony's mussed hair, "Night sparkie." Steve gave Clint a knowing smile then continued on his journey with an angry genius on his back. "Steve! This is invading my personal space! Get off me, I.." Steve smirked at Tony's rambling and walked down the hallway. "I can't believe you're treating me like this! This is scaring me Steve, it's like I'm floating but I'm not! Put me down this instant or I'm gonna.." Steve frowned slightly as Tony went surprisingly silent. He was just about to question the strange occurrence and then he noticed the small figure in the corner. Natasha was giving Tony dagger eyes. "Go to bed Stark, oh so help me I will replace your coffee with decaf." Black Widow spat the words then winked at the billionaire. "Night." She turned the corner and all was silent.

"I think I'm ready to go to bed now." Steve let out a breathy chuckle and continued to the idiot's bedroom. "Good decision."


	4. Chapter 4

The next day- 12:47pm.

"Who wants pasta?"

Four heads lifted and stared at the super soldier and more decidedly the food currently being prepared. Steve twisted his head and spotted the drooling expressions of his team mates.

"Guessing that's everyone." The soldier nodded to himself and collected several bowls from the cupboard near his head. _Me, Natasha, Bruce, Thor, Clint, Tony..Tony? _Steve stopped his counting and turned to the scientist sitting at the kitchen table. "Is Tony up yet?"

Bruce arched an eyebrow. "I doubt it, he.." The scientist began but was soon interrupted by a voice from the corridor.

"WHY DO I DO THIS TO MYSELF?"

The archer perched on the counter smirked, "I guess that answers your question."

Steve chuckled and glanced at Bruce who was currently shaking his head in amusement. The captain turned his attention to the doorway where the depressed voice was last heard. "Hey Tony, d'want any pasta? It's carbonara and we've got.."

"Oh my god, please don't finish that sentence. Don't mention anything foody to me." The billionaire suddenly paced through the room clutching his stomach, eyes squeezed closed. "I'm never drinking again." With that final comment Tony collapsed face first into the living room sofa.

"Like we haven't heard that before.." Natasha was currently on the opposite sofa filing her deadly pointed nails. She rolled her eyes and continued, "I could really do with some food right now. Maybe for dessert we could have chocolate brownies. Sounds good doesn't it Clint?" The redhead smirked knowingly to her partner and bit her lip.

"Oh my fucking god, stop." The genius curled in on himself and groaned into the cushions.

Clint rubbed his hands together enthusiastically and jumped down from the counter. "Oh yeah, maybe some ice cream to go with it." The resident god perked up at the archer's comments and stood up loudly. Throwing his unfilled glass to the floor he declared proudly, "Poptarts are vastly greater than any form of chocolately goodness you speak of!"

Steve frowned at the broken glass. "Thor, let's not take it out on the glasses." The super soldier appeared lost in thought. "Again." He added as a side note. The god smiled softly and sat back in his previous seat, "Sorry brother." Steve returned the smile and got a dust pan from the cupboard.

Tony shot up into a sitting position, disrupting the silence. "I'm gonna throw up. Oh my god, I hate throwing up." His eyes remained closed and he began rocking on the spot. "Where's Rhodeeeey! This always happens when he's involved. He's such a bad role model to me!" Tony bit his lip and began whining.

Bruce let out a breathy laugh from his position at the table. "James went home around 10:00am. Apparently he left you a note. He didn't say what the note was but told me to tell you '18th Birthday Party note'. He said you would know what he meant." The scientist fixed his glasses and arched an eyebrow. "That mean anything to you?"

Tony snorted and opened his eyes. He lifted his leg to the sofa and pulled up his right trouser leg. There in black sharpie read: '**Went home. Feel shit. Your fault. Talk soon. X'** The billionaire rolled his eyes and began pouting. "He always blames me."

"Pasta's done!" Four people cheered and one groaned. Bruce handed Natasha her bowl and took a seat next to Tony. Thor and Clint sat on either side of Natasha already digging into their dish. Tony made a disgusted face and closed his eyes. "I hate life." He groaned. The sofa dipped to his right and he reopened his eyes to see Steve smiling at him. "No you don't." Tony glared at the soldier and closed his eyes again, slumping into the cushions. A comfortable silence settled over the team, the only noise being forks clattering off bowls and the occasional whine.

The silence was soon broken. "I need a cigarette." Tony groaned and leaned his head back against the sofa. Suddenly an uncomfortable silence drooped. Steve was the first to speak. "D'you know how bad those things are for you?" The billionaire sighed, "Here we go again.."

Bruce straightened up from his position next to Tony, "Steve is right, you know. The amount of health problems linked to those things.."

"I've been smoking since I was thirteen. The damage is pretty much already done." Tony spoke in a monotone, his eyes remaining closed and his position still slouched "We fight aliens every other week, if something was to kill me it would most likely be that." Steve and Bruce caught eye contact and Steve frowned deeply. The scientist shrugged in defeat, "If that's how you feel, Tony." Tony grunted in response. The room suddenly turned awkward and words were left unsaid.

Clint cleared his throat, "So, anymore pasta left?" Tony groaned and brought his knees to his chest. Steve caught the movement and looked back at the archer, "In the fridge." The assassin silently nodded and stood, walking to the kitchen.

Tony stood suddenly, swaying slightly. "I'm going back to bed. I can't deal with all this eating." He slowly made his way across the room and opened a draw. The billionaire pulled out a pack of cigarettes and exited through the doorway. "Night losers!"

Steve watched him leave with an unknown expression painting his face. The expression soon disappeared as Clint bounced down beside him, pasta falling from his mouth. "Well he's an asshole." The captain smiled weakly and stared back at the drawer Tony previously opened. _Hmmm._


End file.
